Van Cleef & Arpels Maison celebrates the art of High Jewelry at the VII edition of the most anticipated art exhibition in the Kingdom, 21,39 Jeddah Arts. Organized by the Saudi Art Council commencing from January 29th, in the thriving city of Jeddah, this year’s event under the theme of “I Love You, Urgently” focuses on the environmental concerns and places the youth at the core of this exhibition. For the fifth time in a row, Van Cleef & Arpels collaborates with 21,39 Jeddah Arts.

This edition will focus on the Van Cleef & Arpels Middle East Emergent Designer Prize, the yearly award which aims to nurture local design talent. A concept of ‘Past, Present & Future’, which celebrates Julia Ibbini, the winner of 2019, a Cyclical theme, whose impressive ‘Symbio Vessels’ winning sculptural vessels will be displayed at Jeddah Arts 21,39. It is during this period that
Van Cleef & Arpels will announce the Call for the 2020 Middle East Emergent Designer Prize.

Julia used paper to create a total of 4 vessels displaying the idea of contrasts and collaboration

Van Cleef & Arpels Middle East Emergent Designer Prize
Launched in 2013, the Van Cleef & Arpels Middle East Emergent Designer Prize, in collaboration with Tashkeel, is an initiative focused on supporting regional designers and exhibiting unique artwork responding to the given theme every year.
The prize presents a unique opportunity for designers to show their work to a global audience with manufacturing and production support from the two partners. The prize is judged by Van Cleef & Arpels, Tashkeel, Hani Asfour – Dean of the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DiDi), and an established professional designer from the region. In 2019 the competition saw many entrants across the Middle East, keen to participate and showcase their talent, responding to the given theme of ‘Cyclical’.

Van Cleef & Arpels and Tashkeel
Van Cleef & Arpels has partnered with UAE-based visual art and design organization, Tashkeel, since 2013. Through a strong commitment of both leading entities, today, the prize continues to shine a spotlight on the wealth of creativity and design talent thriving across the region. The partnership encourages creativity, art and passion in Middle Eastern based designers.

The History of the Prize
In the past, the initiative has played a vital role in the careers of emerging product designers and artists including Salem Al Mansoori, Vikram Divecha and Hamza Omari.
2017 Theme: Growth, won by Hamza Omari
2016 Theme: Nature, won by Ranim Orouk
2015 Theme: Functional Design, won by Ivan Parati
2014 Theme: Turning Point, won by Vikram Divecha
2013 Theme: Metamorphosis, won by Salem Al Mansoori
2019 Winner of Van Cleef & Arpels Middle East Emergent Designer Prize
In November 2019, Jordanian-British designer Julia Ibbini won the Award, winning a trip to L’ECOLE Van Cleef & Arpels, a school dedicated to sharing the culture and crafts knowledge behind the world of jewelry. In addition, AED 30,000 was awarded to her to cover the entire cost of materials and production of her design piece.

Julia Ibbini, winner of Van Cleef & Arpels Middle East Emerging Designer Prize 2019

Julia’s design ‘Symbio Vessels’, revolves around a special build process of both a sequential back-and-forth and an interactive collaboration between human and machines. These pieces play between contrasting yet complementary, distinct but related concepts, both in the design and feel of the final form and in the bold experimentation of the beautiful, tactile and delicate qualities of paper.

Calling Out to Emerging Designers
Van Cleef & Arpels celebrates its 7th Edition of its Van Cleef & Arpels Middle East Emergent Designer Prize, in partnership with Tashkeel. During the opening of 21,39 Jeddah Arts, the Maison launches its Call Out to designers of the region for the 2020 Edition.
Emerging designers are invited to submit designs for functional products to explore the theme of Flora, a dear source of inspiration for Van Cleef & Arpels. Exploring elements of line, pattern, pattern, texture and material, designers are asked to consider the potential of the relationship between these components through interaction or contrast.
Information on how to apply here: https://tashkeel.org/
Alessandro Maffi, Van Cleef & Arpels Managing Director Middle East and India, says, “Participating in this new edition of 21,39 Jeddah Arts continues to strengthen the Maison’s promise in supporting the local art and design scene of the Kingdom. This exclusive exhibition will be the occasion to celebrate designers and encourage creativity, art and passion in the Middle East, whilst welcoming the connoisseurs into the universe of Van Cleef & Arpels, he concluded.

Arthur Hoffner, French designer and winner of the People’s Choice Award at 2017 Noailles Design Parade

Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to view the extraordinary display of work by Arthur Hoffner, who has artistically created an installation suffused with balance and suspended motion, echoing the Perlée collection from the Maison. Arthur, the winner of the People’s Choice Award at the 2017 Villa Noailles Design Parade, collaborated with the Maison to produce a series of vases combining gilded brass spheres, aluminum tubes and blocks of marble put together in a precarious composition that appears to defy the laws of gravity. Arthur’s creations is displayed at the newly opened Van Cleef & Arpels boutique at El Khayyat Centre, Jeddah, until February 8th.

Totem composition by Arthur Hoffnan

Visit the Van Cleef & Arpels booth at 21,39 Jeddah Arts located at:
Gold Moor Mall, Jeddah
Saudi Arabia

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